Vertically adjustable coal planer apparatus



W. HEYER ET AL VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE COAL PLANER APPARATUS Jan. 2, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 4, 1965 Fig. 5

INVENTORS: WILHELM HEYER, BER THOLD 'OS TROP AL OIS HAUSCHOPP United States Patent G 6 Claims. (Cl. 299-34) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Coal planer apparatus having a multiplicity of stacked cutter supporting elements wherein each of the cutter supporting elements abuts its next adjacent element in a tongue and groove joint and wherein the adjacent cutter supporting elements are secured together with bolt means passing through the tongue and groove joint.

This invention relates in general to mineral winning equipment, and more particularly to a mineral planer apparatus suitable for the Winning of coal in long wall min ing operations, and featuring a variable configuration plow superstructure which accommodates the mounting of additional cutting tools for mineral extraction along paths of different elevation on the mine face.

Essentially, the mineral planer apparatus according to the invention provides a primary base means which can be expediently a conventional coal plow or sled that is adapted for movement back and forth along the mine face and is disposed for supporting the cutter means for movement therewith in extractive engagement with the mine face. The primary base means and its cutter means operate to remove mineral from the mine face along the path thereon extending up from the mine floor line to an elevation dependent upon the particular cutter means geometry. One or more supplementary base members disposed in stacked elevated relation to the primary base means and to one another are provided to support additional cutter means for extracting mineral along mine face paths corresponding to the elevation of such cutters relative to the primary base means as established by the supplementary base members.

The lowermost of the supplementary base members is releasably connected to the primary base means for movement therewith, and the remainder of the supplementary base members are each releasably connected to a respectively adjacent underlying base member for movement therewith in unison with the primary base means. Hence, the mineral planer apparatus of the invention provides in effect a plow with an extended superstructure which can carry various arrangements of cutters for reaching various levels of the mine face.

It is not necessary that a cutter be mounted to every supplementary base member, and in fact such an arrangement would in many cases be undesirable. The invention contemplates a flexible cutter arrangement wherein cutters can be removed and added as required, with the noncutter bearing supplementary base members acting as spacers in order that cutting along shale and rock strata can be avoided by a straddling cutter arrangement.

One of the advantages of the mineral planer apparatus of the instant invention lies in the fact that its supplementary base members can be easily added and removed to permit the mining of seams of different heights. To facilitate such interchange of supplementary base members, preferably all of them are similarly constructed, or at least have similar interconnection portions so as to permit them to be connected together in any selected order of superposition. The interconnection of the supplementary base members to one another and to the primary base means can be accomplished in numerous different ways, but in keeping with the object of the invention to provide a quick-action type of connection between such elements, the interconnection portions of adjacent base members are arranged for locking engagement with common, but releasable, pin members to secure such base members to one another for movement with the primary base means. The lowermost supplementary base member can be secured to the primary base means in the same manner.

Alternatively, the supplementary base members which make up the superstructure of the mineral planer apparatus can be connected together by screws and/ or dovetail guides.

There are known coal plows having superstructures which provide a greater elevated cutter capability and are capable of covering practically the entire thickness of even relatively high mine seams, as well as plows of the type which merely undercut a coal bank until it drops down by itself. However, such prior art superstructured plows and undercutting plows were generally individually incapable of performing both types of plowing operations. For example, in the case of mine seams divided into two coal banks by a layer of shale which cannot be plowed, it was necessary to plow the lower bank and then undercut the upper bank.

The purpose of the present invention is to develop a mineral planer in such a manner that by means of suitable superstructures it is not only capable of mining large seam thicknesses, but also with the use of the same primary base body, it is capable of use in relatively shallow mine seams.

With the known plows it was not possible to take them apart within the mine seam and reassemble them in a different configuration in order to adapt them to the specific conditions prevailing at the time, such as for example in the case of different seam sections. Therefore, another object of the present invention is to provide a mineral planer apparatus which can readily and simply be adapted to the prevailing mine seam conditions.

The mineral planer apparatus of the invention permits a method of operation whereby the superstructure part of a particular planer, or the superstructure parts of all planers operating in a given mining area can be stored at the delivery ends or at any convenient locations within the cross heading mine passages by hanging or otherwies. In this way, these superstructures can, if necessary, be exchanged for the superstructures in use at the time, simply by fastening them to the primary base plow by rapid attachment devices.

By these measures, it now is possible with, for instance, a planer which is originally assembled with a high superstructure for mining the upper bank with suitable jib cutters, to work the upper bank portion lying above a pack of barren rock, and then, in order to mine the lower bank, to hang up theparts of the superstructure which are no longer required at the delivery end of the mine passage for subsequent use until the lower bank has been mined and the intermediate layer of shale has been collapsed. Thus, the mineral planer apparatus of the invention affords a large number of possible superstructure and cutter arrangements to accommodate the mining of difierent seam sections. By the supension of the superstructure parts, they can be conveniently and rapidly mounted to the primary base means and removed to permit selective variations in cutter arrangement.

To provide for the reliable and rapid connection of the various supplementary base members, threadless pin members are preferably used.

Planer arrangements in which the cutter bits are arranged on so-called bit flaps have proven their worth. These bit flaps are connected via hinges and corresponding pivot pins to the superstructure base members and/ or to the primary plow base itself. In accordance with another feature of the invention, each supplementary base member of the superstructure has hinge parts and the hinge flaps to be connected to these hinge parts consist of individual segments, each segment in its turn having a hinge part associated with it.

By this measure, the result can be obtained that the cutter bit flaps can be assembled as desired, i.e. long and short segments can be combined with each other and screwed together to form common bit flaps. Such flaps can be made up out of one or more such segments or else each superstructure base member can be provided with a two-segment flap.

Sinceeach base member making up the superstructure is connected with an adjacent base member via a quickaction connection, the plow superstructure can be divided at any desired place by a few simple manipulations and the upper portion can be lifted off by means of a cable or the like and'stored within the mine passage.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the individual supplementary base members are developed with interconnection portions or parts overlapping in a form-locked manner and are connected to each other merely by secured pins. These pins are preferably so arranged that they are accessible from the dead rock or Waste side of the planer and can be pulled out or pushed in from there. Preferably, these pins are protected against accidental disengagement or falling out by safety flaps or other securing devices.

Each of the supplementary base members is provided with means, such as for example lug members, to accommodate the pivotal connection of at least one cutter flap thereto for supporting such cutter flap in extractive engagement with the mine face. Preferably, each supplementary base member is constructed to accommodate at least one and better two pairs of oppositely disposed cutter flaps pivotally connected thereto.

In the case where two oppositely disposed cutter flaps are pivotally connected to a given supplementary base member, corresponding cutter flaps in each pair can be connected together for positioning in unison relative to such base member to adjust their depth of extractive engagement with the mine face.

With pairs of oppositely disposed cutter flaps, a more suitable bi-directional cutting action can be achieved since one cutter can be positioned to lead into the mine face while the other trails.

It is therefore, an object of the invention to provide a mineral planer apparatus having a superstructure which can be altered in configuration to accommodate a variety of cutter arrangements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mineral planer apparatus as aforesaid wherein the superstructure can be assembled from one or more interchangeable parts mounted for support and movement with a primary base means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mineral planer apparatus as aforesaid which is operable for mining seams of various thickness and Stratification simply by appropriate superstructure and cutter configuration changes and without the need for any primary base means substitution.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mineral planer apparatus as aforesaid in which the connected apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention showing a portion of the superstructure thereof in a disconnected and raised position as when such superstructure portion is being removed from or added to an existing planer configuration.

FIG. 2 is a back elevation view of the mineral planer apparatus of FIG. 1 as seen from its waste side and with the uppermost base member and its associated jib cutter device removed. 7

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a typical base member used in the superstructure of the mineral planer apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 showing a typical cutter arrangement connected thereto.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a portion of FIG. 2 showing the details of a typical pin connector arrangement which can be used for connecting two adjacent base members together or for connecting the lowermost base member to the primary base means.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of a portion of the mineral planer apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 showing a typical arrangement of cutter bit flaps connected thereto.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the mineral planer apparatus A has a movable primary base means 3 which is adapted to be driven back and forth along a long wall mine face F (shown in phantom outline) in guided relation to a long wall conveyor 1 which extends longitudinally'in front of the mine face F. A keel member 2 attached to the base means 3 and extending underneath the conveyor 1 in slidable engagement therewith serves to effect the guided movement of the primary base means 3, which can expediently be a conventional coal plow of the type used for mining the lower portion of coal seams down to the mine floor G. V

The primary base means or plow 3 is arranged for supporting a base cutter means 4 which can be composed of cutter bits 21 either fixedly mounted to the plow 3 or mounted to flap members pivotally connected thereto, in any case, the cutter means 4 is disposed for movement along with the plow 3 in extractive engagement with the mine face F to remove mineral therefrom along a path corresponding to the movement path of the plow 3.

In addition to carrying the cutter means 4 which pro vides for the lowermost path of mineral extraction, i.e.

. down to the mine floor G, the plow 3 also carries a superstructure S which is composed of one or more supplementary base members 6a-e. The base member 5 which is connected directly to the plow 3, either fixedly or releasably, can be similar in construction to the base members 6a-e so as to be interchangeable therewith, or can be constructed differently, but with compatible 'interconnection surfaces so as to permit the base members 6a-e to be connected to said base member 5 for movement therewith in unison with the plow 3.

Hence, the base member 5 can be conveniently con sidered either as the lowermost member or the superstructure S or as part of the primary base means 3, in which case the base member 6a would be the lowermost. Regardless of such alternate points of view, the mineral planer apparatus A features a plow type primary base means 3 and a superstructure S having one or more stacked superposed supplementary base members 5, 6ae, or 6a-e connected one to the other for movement with the base means 3, with the lowermost base member 5 0r 6a being operatively connected directly to the base means 3 and the remainder of the base members 6a-e being each" operatively connected to a respectively adjacent underlying base member. I

Each of the base members 5, 6ae are disposed for supporting a cutter means in extractive engagement with the mine face F to remove mineral therefrom along a path corresponding to the elevation of such base member 5, 661-2, with respect to the primary base means 3.

Such cutter means carried by the base members 5, 6ae can be any one or a combination of cutting tool types,

as for example the flap-like cutter bit holders 13 and 13a shIown in FIGS. 3 and 5, or the jib cutter 7 shown in F G. 1.

Hinge lugs 11 are provided on the base members 5, 6a-e, to accommodate the pivotal connection thereto of the cutter flaps 13 and 13a. Preferably, four hinge lugs 11 are provided on each base member 5, a-e, so that up to a total of four cutter flaps 13 or 13:: can be carried thereby. As shown better by FIGS. 3 and 5, Where one pair of oppositely disposed cutter flaps 13 and one pair of oppositely disposed cutter flaps 13:: are provided on any given base member, such as the base members 6b, 6c and 6a. in FIG. 5, corresponding cutter flaps 13 and 13a in each pair thereof can be connected together by means of screws 14 or other suitable fastening means (not shown) to form a flap column such as indicated by 12, 12a, 12b in connection with the base members 6d, 60 and 6b respectively in FIG. 5. While of course, cutter flaps 13, 13a carried by different base members 5, fizz-e can be connected together to form flap columns similar to the flap columns 12, 12a, 12b, preferably only cutter flaps 13, 13a carried by the same base member 5, 6a-e are connected into flap column arrangements.

By controlling the angular position of the cutter flaps 13, 13:: with respect to their associated base members 5, 6n-e, the depth of extractive engagement of said cutter flaps 13, 13:: can be selectively varied. Where tWo cutter flaps 13, 13a are connected together to form a flap column 12, 12a, 12b, such cutter flaps 13 and 13a will be positioned together in unison, and the depth of extractive engagement of each will depend upon its length for a given angular position of the flap column 12, 12a, 12b. Where an oppositely disposed pair of flap columns 12, 12a, 12b is provided, a chain 22 or equivalent, such as a rod (not shown) can be connected to either cutter flap 13, 13a in each flap column 12, 12a, 121) so that both sets of flap columns 12, 12a, 12b will be positioned in unison, one into the mine face F and the other away from it, so as to provide a bi-directional cutting capability similar to that by a pivotally mounted double-ended cutter (not shown). Any suitable means (not shown) can be provided for positioning the cutter flap 13, 13a into a selected depth of extractive engagement With the mine face F.

The individual cutter flaps 13, 13a can of course be made of different lengths so that the profile to be cut into the mine face F can be changed as desired. Furthermore, it is possible to hollow out certain portions of the seam, for instance, included packs of dead rock, simply by arranging the elevation spacing of the cutter flaps 13, 13a carried by different superstructure S base members 5, 6a-e.

Naturally it is just as possible, instead of fastening a plow type or planing cutter arrangement, such as that provided by the cutter flaps 13, 13a, at any given height, to fasten a cutter attachment which operates by undercutting or some other activated coal mining tool to the base member 5, 6ae, using the same quick acting fastening devices as are used for fastening such base members 5, fizz-e together.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the jib cutter 7 or so-called desk attachment is connected to the uppermost base member 6e for cutting an oblique surface in the upper portion of the mine seam and may be advantageously used in the case of fixed seams to prevent the upper bank from breaking up past the conveyor into the old workings.

It has been found that with those embodiments of the mineral planer apparatus A of the invention which are provided with superstructures S having a height of approximately 2.0-2.5 meters and weighing up to four tons, tend to operate much more quietly and steadily as a result of the large kinetic energy associated with their mass movement than do lighter plows. Furthermore, the tipping moment resulting from the very high center of gravity in such embodiments of the mineral planer apparatus A is directed toward the mine face F and has a favorable effect for obtaining the necessary application pressure at the upper cutter bits. Therefore, it is preferable to construct the mineral planer apparatus A so that its center of gravity will be placed as closely as possible to the mine face F in order to increase this forward tipping moment.

It is to be understood that the specific planer A superstructure S and cutting tool configurations shown and de scribed herein are merely illustrative examples of the several possible embodiments of the invention, and that the base members 5, 6ae composing the superstructure S can be rearranged, added or subtracted to provide a superstructure S that will accommodate the cutting tools needed for a given set of mining conditions, or to adapt the planer A for operation in mine seams of various height. One advantage of the invention lies in the fact that the primary base plow 3 need not be disturbed when it is necessary to change the superstructure S configuration or when changing any of the cutting tools carried thereby.

As shown in FIG. 1, the superstructure S base members 6a-e and the jib cutter 7 can be lifted off from the base member 5 and hung, for example by means of any suitable lifting device at the delivery end of the mine shaft. The connection between the base members 6a and 5 has been opened 'by pulling out two .pins 8, which are passed through arms 9 of the base member 6a and extend through the base member 5. Any safety member 10, for instance a tension rod, a wedge, etc. (not shown) can be provided as shown in FIG. 4 to prevent accidental removal of the pins 8, so that it is first necessary to release such safety member 10 before separating any portion of the superstructure S. After the removal of the base members Ga-e, the primary base plow 3 can be operated in the same manner as the conventional coal plow, for example the plow 3 can be used to cut into the lower bank of the mine seam while the upper bank cutting 1s performed after the superstructure S base members 6a-e and their cutters have been reassembled to the base plow 3.

Preferably, between each pair of adjacent base members 6a-e there are provided identical connecting means, such as for example the pins 8 and arms 9 so that the planer A superstructure S can be subdivided at any desired pair of base members 6ae.

The mineral planer apparatus A described and the method of its use in accordance with the invention aiford considerable advantages for mining. Even disturbed and very thick seams can now be mined by different time sequenced operations with the same base plow 3 and associated drive means being used for all operations, the conversion of the planer A into different superstructure S and cutting tool configurations requires relatively little time, since quick action connections such as provided by the pins 8 can be made and removed with only a few manual manipulations and hoisting devices suspended, for example for movement into the delivery end of the mine shaft can be provided to remove those portions of the planer A superstructure S which are not required temporarily and store them for subsequent mining operations. It is readily possible, for example, first to mine a :portion of a seam with one type of cutter bits and then to mine another portion of the seam using the same basic planer arrangement but with different cutter bits. As compared with the expense which is necessary for instance, when using an additional undercutting machine, the expense required with the use of the planer according to the invention as described herein is substantially less.

What is claimed is:

1. A mineral planer apparatus adapted to move along a mine face, comprising a base member and a multiplicity of superposed, exchangeable base members; cutter means supported by said base members; and horizontally positioned bolt means adapted to secure adjacent pairs of base members wherein said base members abut each other in tongue and groove interlock, and wherein said bolt means is insertable and removable through said tongue and groove toward and away from said mine face.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of .said base members is provided with hinge lugs and hinge together by bolt means.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein each of said flaps consists of two elements.

5. A mineral planer apparatus which comprises a primary base means adapted for movement back and forth along a mine face and disposed for supporting a first cutter means for movement therewith in extractive engagement with the mine face to remove mineral therefrom along a first corresponding path, a plurality of supplementary base members disposed in stacked superposed relation to one another and to said primary base means, the lowermost of said supplementary base mem- 20 two pairs of oppositely disposed cutter flaps thereto for supporting such cutter flap in extractive engagement with the mine face to remove mineral therefrom along a path corresponding to the elevation of said supplementary base member with respect to the primary base means and including a set of two pairs of oppositely disposed cutter flaps pivotally connected to one of said supplementary base members for support thereby in extractive engagement with the mine face.

6. The mineral planer apparatus according to claim 5 including fastening means operatively connecting corresponding cutter fiaps in each pair thereof to each other for positioning in unison relative to their corresponding supplementary base member to adjust their depth of eX- tractive engagement with the mine face.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,666,629 1/1954 SprOlJl 299- 32 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,177,216 4/1959 France.

806,130 6/1951 Germany.

831,832 2/1952 Germany.

ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner. 

